Sunday 15 January 2023

Saving on power


Hello all and hope you’ve enjoyed a good weekend.

In the light of rising fuel costs I’ve been using my air fryer, slow cooker and microwave to cut down on expenses. Today I excelled myself by cooking my complete Sunday roast in the air fryer and microwave. I have to add that I have a spare air fryer that we use in our campervan which came in very useful..

It was an absolute doddle and saved on washing up as well as time. From start to finish was 35 minutes including the yorkies and sage and onion stuffing. Happy days  





Bye for now and have a good week Px

Tuesday 10 January 2023

Rain, rain go away…..

 


We are having such awfully wet weather here in the UK. In fact it’s been raining more or less on and off since the New Year. It’s so miserable and confining, as we can’t get out in the garden to do anything. We had so much hot and dry weather last summer that it really put paid to our lawn - it’s virtually dead. 

Anyway here’s a couple of photos from more sunny climes just to add a bit of colour to a dreary day and inspiration for a drier Spring.

Be back again soon Px

Wednesday 4 January 2023

A new start


Hello to anyone who has just found me. I blogged years ago but I lapsed.  So at the moment I'm floundering around trying to remember the key elements of fonts, photos and all the other paraphernalia involved in posting - bear with me is all I ask.

I dabble in writing poetry and quotes, in various forms, nothing grand but I find it relaxing.  I also enjoy journalling and I have a couple of Instagram accounts, so it goes without saying that photography also features in my interests.

I love cooking and enjoy trying out new recipes. I’ve been cobbling together lots of recipes over the years from friends, family and colleagues so that maybe one day I might write a book about the memories they evoke.

Thanks for reading this and I’ll be back soon. P

Tuesday 5 February 2019

Springing forward...

Looking forward to Spring now after a dreary and bitterly cold few weeks/months. My favourite season has always been Autumn but I'm beginning to relish the thought of some warmer weather - March is only three and a bit weeks away now so onwards and upwards.
Talking of which, it was a year ago in March that I was here last - how time flies! As per usual I really do intend being here more often, well at least weekly to begin with. 

I've been enjoying crafting this last year - more so than ever before. 




I'm still paper crafting and making journals and more recently have been practicing the art of Modern Calligraphy using a dip pen and ink. When I say practicing - I mean practicing and they say that it does make for perfect.  We'll see!  I've been writing a bit of poetry too, as well as some quotes - I do love a quote.









I still enjoy my cooking.  I've been doing a lot of batch cooking for the freezer recently. I find it so handy always being able to put my hands on a ready made meal if we've been out for the day or been busy in the garden.






So that was a quick update on the comings and goings in my life.  More to come.


"Today's dreams are tomorrow's creations" 


See you soon and take care
 P x

Monday 19 March 2018

Tidy desk - tidy mind?

So after my last post, my poor desk/study looked very much in disarray. Large amounts of paper, card, glue sticks, die cuts, stickers, scissors and off cuts to name but a few made up the disorganised mess I'd created. There were boxes of all kinds of papery paraphernalia as well as rubber stamps and stamp pads, paper clips, string, washi tape and loads more besides.





It didn't help the fact that I'm working on another journal 
alongside my kitchen one




It needed tidying that's for sure. But where did I begin. I walked in and then did a turn around several times. It was daunting, trying to find the right place for so many bits of journal stuff bearing in mind I'll want to get it all out again in the next few days.









Today was the turning point


It had to be done



Mind you this is only one corner - you don't need to see the rest!!!



Back soon. P x

Wednesday 14 March 2018

Savouring Memories

Six years ago I wrote a post here about my collection of recipes handed down, shared and cooked by my grandparents, parents, friends, relatives  and colleagues - all with their own unique memories. My sister Helen came up with an idea a few years later about writing a book about recipes from the past.  Well it sounded a good idea at the time and my sisters and I got excited at the prospect of possibly publishing a book that could be handed down to future generations, but it didn't happen - life often gets in the way of good ideas and so it was forgotten about, abandoned.

However, it has always been there in the background for me and as a maker of Journals over the years I decided to turn this idea into a Journal for myself not only about the recipes but incorporating  kitchens of the past and the gadgets, utensils and kitchen paraphernalia that housewives have used over the years, me included (I have always been a sucker for new gadgets which often lay at the back of a cupboard for years before they see the light of day again).




So, armed with all my old recipes and cooking ephemera and a huge amount of research I set about making the Journal. The cover was from an old hardback book that I gutted (sorry book lovers but it was found in a charity shop and destined for book heaven anyway). I covered the front and back covers and then joined it together with rings.  I generally make my own signatures and sew them into a cover but for this purpose it was easier using rings as I was, and am still able to add other items as I go along.





I found photos of old cooking utensils and copied lots of my old cookery books and food advertising that go back for 70 plus years, to the time of my grandmothers' kitchens.




I've been busy making tucks and pockets, banners and labels in order to facilitate all my ephemera. 


Inside the actual journal I am adding a further three mini journals/signature that I have made, to cater for the many scraps of paper/recipes that I have collected since I married 48 year ago. This has evoked so many happy memories - like the shoe shop receipt for my daughter's first pair of Clarke's shoes aged 4 year old in 1977 - with a recipe hastily written on the reverse. The shoes by the way cost a mere £4.49!


Then there's memories of the Peanut butter and other cookies and jotted down on an American friend's scribble pad. I only knew her for 18 month before she returned home to the USA and now sadly lost touch.



This has been such an exciting venture for me and evoked so many happy memories. Each scrap of paper/recipe/photo has a story to tell. It certainly kept me busy during the dark dreary winter months and delighted I have something to show for it. I'll be hand-writing and using my old vintage typewriter on occasions for making my Journal entries.





And who remembers the days of Hostess trollies, fondue sets and pressure cookers let alone the electric carving knife, wall can openers, choppers, mandolin slicers  - to name but a few, although I'm sure many of these are still found in households today. And then of course there was the introduction of the deep freezer into our homes in the late 1960s which then was a revolution but one we couldn't be without today!




So, the adventure carries on. This is definitely a work-in-progress and each day I'm finding and adding new ideas all the time. Whilst I can't take credit for Helen's original idea, it certainly gave me food for thought (no pun intended!)

Be back again soon P x


Monday 26 February 2018

The Beast from the East

We've recently been potting up some Spring plants - more especially Primulas and Cyclamens to pretty up a weary looking garden but with the onset of the "Beast from the East" I have just come in from moving them to a safer environment underneath our pergola and covered them with a protective fleece. Hopefully they will survive the extreme weather conditions that have been forecast.





We've had snow flurries all day but evidently tonight's the night when it all happens. I'm guessing most schools will be closed and public transport will come to a halt and supermarkets will sell out of their produce, mainly bread and milk, after panicky customers buy all they can stuff in their car boots!! I do get cross, don't you. Other countries seem to get by without all the faffing and panicking.

Anyway, the forecasters are telling us that we should be prepared for extreme weather conditions and so that's what we'll do.  Hopefully they've got it wrong and it won't be as bad as they are banging on.

So, while I've been having a whinge, my Soda bread has just come out of the oven.  Hoping it's okay as I've never made one before.


So, Mary Berry said turn it over and knock it - if it sounds hollow then it's done. Watch this space!

Bye for now and keep warm. P x